Dark Healer (An Empire Falls Book 1)

by Harry Leighton

  *****

  “I think we’re here,” Trimas said, looking around.

  “What does the map say?” Daeholf asked.

  Trimas sighed. “The map is rubbish.”

  “We’re in about the right place anyway,” Jonas noted

  Alia had a question. “Same as last time? Split up and ask around?”

  “I’ve been thinking about that,” Trimas said.

  “And?” Daeholf asked.

  “I’m tired of being asked if I’m a merchant or a soldier,” Trimas said.

  “Go on…”

  “I stand out too much.”

  “All travellers draw attention to some extent, especially in the smaller villages,” Daeholf pointed out.

  “You were in the army too long.”

  “Weren’t we all.”

  “You’re missing my point. I’m a big black man. That’s not a problem in most places — the empire is such a mix now that I’m not remarkable. But out here, in the smaller villages, I do stick out a bit. Which is why I keep getting asked the same question — merchant or soldier.”

  “And any of your people that are local, will be local. I see,” Daeholf said.

  “I’m not sure I follow,” Zedek said.

  “Small villages can be quite insular anyway. Any non-local will draw interest regardless and if you’re not like the majority in this area, even more so.”

  “That’s what I’m thinking,” Trimas said.

  “We don’t want to draw too much attention, especially if Marlen is nearby,” Jonas said. “It makes sense if we don’t all descend on them at once anyway.”

  “About that,” Trimas said to Jonas.

  “Go on,” Jonas said.

  “You stick out a bit too.”

  “I have been doing this for a while, you know.”

  “Yes, but I think you may be known to Marlen. I think that if anyone is going to give us away, it would be you.”

  Jonas pondered that for a moment. “Maybe you’re right, some caution could be an idea.”

  “I’m not really one for interrogating people either,” Zedek said.

  “That leaves you and me then,” Alia said to Daeholf.

  “I think we should be a couple,” he replied.

  “Um, I won the bet remember?” she said.

  Daeholf grinned at her. Alia rolled her eyes at him.

  “I meant, maybe we’d draw a little less attention if we approached appearing to be a couple.”

  “A couple of what?”

  “Is she always this difficult?” Daeholf said to Jonas.

  “Sometimes more so,” Jonas replied with a smile.

  “I’m still here,” Alia said.

  “A married couple,” Daeholf said.

  “Firstly, no rings. Secondly, what is it that we’re doing here? Why did we come to this village? As man and wife,” Alia challenged.

  “Ah, oh. Eloped. Looking for a place to settle. I rescued you from your big scary father and now we’re running from him,” Daeholf improvised.

  Alia snorted. Jonas sighed.

  “I see we don’t have my father’s approval. That makes it all the more exciting. Okay, with me then,” Alia said grinning.

  “Do we have any wine?” Daeholf asked.

  “You trying to get me liquored up?” Alia said. “I’m not that sort of girl.”

  “Not for you. For me.”

  Alia pulled an exaggerated sad face. “Am I not pretty enough for you then?”

  “Would you be upset if I sold her?” Daeholf said to Jonas.

  “I’ve tried,” Jonas said. “Didn’t matter how low I set the price, once she started talking there were no takers.”

  “Still fetch more than you would,” Alia said to him.

  “You’re not wrong there,” Jonas said without missing a beat.

  “Aaaanyway,” Trimas said. “Moving on. Why do you want wine?”

  “People sometimes respond more comfortably to a happy drunk.”

  “You sure that’s wise?” Trimas said carefully. There was a hint of concern on Zedek’s face.

  “I was only going to pretend. “Splash some on my shirt and rinse my mouth with a little.”

  “You’re not wasting the little we have left by spitting it on the ground,” Trimas said with finality.

  “Okay, okay, just an idea.”

  “So then, hubby, do we ride in on stolen horses or did we run away on foot?” Alia said, moving to his side and taking his arm.

  “Horses. That way we can have come from further away and won’t have to know so much about the local area.”

  “So who stole the horses then? Was it by moonlight? Oh, this is so exciting,” Alia said with as empty-headed an expression as she could manage. “Seriously though,” she continued, suddenly all business, “we need to get our stories straight.”

  Daeholf noted the sudden change. “You’re a dangerous woman,” he said seriously.

  “You have no idea,” Alia said, grinning.

  “We stole some silver from your father and bought the horses. We’re not sure if he’s more put out by your loss or the silver,” Daeholf said.

  “I like that,” Alia said. “Gives people a moral judgement and makes them less likely to turn us in.” She thought for a moment. “And it sounds like him too,” she added, looking at Jonas.

  “Definitely the silver,” Jonas said.

  *****

  “That didn’t go well,” Daeholf said, reporting back.

  “What happened?” Jonas said.

  “Not exactly hostile but they weren’t answering many questions, not after I mentioned that we were looking for a healer anyway,” Daeholf replied.

  “So there has been one here then?”

  “Oh, yes. From what we were able to gather there was an outbreak of some disease. People were dying but the healer appears and soon after everyone starts getting better.”

  “So he might be some sort of local hero then? Damn.”

  “I think it’s worse than that,” Alia said

  “What do you mean?” Jonas said.

  “I think they may have been watching for us,” Alia said.

  “Why?” Trimas put in.

  “Oh, nothing we did today, we were very careful and I think the eloping couple story was probably good cover. I just think after what happened at the last base, Marlen’s become cautious and maybe has some of the locals on side,” Alia finished.

  “We got here too slowly?” Jonas said.

  “I think so,” Alia said.

  “Damn.”

  “We were following a solid lead and we’ve not exactly been wasting our time either,” Trimas said.

  “So what do we do?” Zedek asked.

  “We be careful. We’ve come here for a reason,” Jonas said.

  “Our next move?” Daeholf said.

  “Let’s assume he has form in the type of place he uses for a hideout, where he does the stuff he doesn’t want people to see him doing,” Jonas replied.

  “So we’re looking for a mine then?” Trimas said.

  “Or something similar, yes,” Jonas said.

  “I’ve been looking at the map, there might be a possible.”

  “Oh?”

  “Some caves nearby. Likely to be the sort of place he might have tried anyway, if indeed he is nearby,” Trimas said.

  “From what the villagers did say, it’s clear that a healer of some talent has been in the area, someone suspiciously good enough to have been our man anyway,” Daeholf noted.

  “No sign that he’s still here though,” Jonas said sourly.

  “Maybe the villagers are hiding him, maybe he’s moved on. We’ve nothing to lose by looking around though,” Alia said.

  “And if he is still nearby?” Trimas said.

  “We do something about it. Something permanent,” Jonas said.

  “Are we ready for that? Do we know what he’s capable of?” Daeholf said quietly.

  “And do we know how many men he’ll have wit
h him? Many of the altered and we may have a problem,” Zedek said.

  “He’s a bit of a loner normally, not really known for company,” Jonas said.

  “And yet he’s got a number of altered working for him, at least four that we’ve seen. And they’re just the dead ones.”

  “And they were originally a group — how do we know he doesn’t keep at least a similar group with him?”

  Jonas’s expression grew frustrated. “I can’t say I’d thought of us not having enough strength between us to go up against him.”

  “I’m not saying we don’t, I just think we need a plan.”

  “Do you have one?”

  “We scout. Carefully. Information is our best weapon. If we know what we’re facing we can make a decision about how to proceed. I’m not for running in blind against a squad of altered soldiers.”

  “That’s not exactly what I had in mind either,” Jonas said acidly.

  “Sorry, I put that badly. I just want us to be prepared since what we’re dealing with is something more than most of us at least have gone up against before.”

  “Do we need help?”

  “We don’t know what we’re facing yet. Let’s look first.”

  “Night?”

  “Daytime. Any torches we use to see will be too obvious to anyone on lookout and I don’t know about any of you, but I can’t see in the dark.”

  “Didn’t realise that was a prerequisite,” Trimas said with a smile.

  “Maybe Marlen’s men can.”

  “You think?”

  “He’d done something to Brig’s eyes.”

  “Shit.”

  “Yeah. Daylight puts us on a level.”

  “Until we get inside.”

  “At which point it doesn’t matter if we go at night.”

  “You have a point.”

  “So now then?”

  “Gives people less chance to pass any warning that we’re here.”

  “Let’s leave the horses here then,” Jonas said. “I’m only half sold on the daytime approach as it is and we don’t need the extra noise.”

  “I’ve always found sneaking on foot easier anyway,” Daeholf said.

  “You going to string your bow this time?” Zedek said to him.

  “What is this thing with you two and your bows?” Alia said.

  “How do you mean?” Daeholf replied.

  “You’re always asking to borrow Zedek’s. You’ve got one of your own?”

  “Sort of.”

  “Sort of?”

  “Sort of.”

  Alia shrugged. “Okay, I’m not that bothered.”

  “No, I’m not,” Daeholf said to Zedek. “You know it takes too damn long and takes too much effort.”

  “I suppose you want to borrow mine again then?”

  “No, you’re much better with it than I am.”

  “Good of you to notice.”

  Jonas and Alia looked at each other and shrugged. There was clearly something they were missing here.

  “You’ve more experience than I have of moving as a squad,” Jonas said, looking back at the others. “How are we doing this?”

  Alia stared at him, surprised.

  “What?” Jonas said. “It’s true, they’re soldiers. I’ve mostly worked alone or as a pair.”

  “Just thought it would be your lead is all,” Alia said.

  “Deference where it is due,” Jonas said seriously. “Always remember that.”

  Alia looked at him for a moment and nodded.

  “Makes sense for you two to stay as a pair anyway,” Daeholf said. “We’ll do two teams, Zedek and me, Jonas and Alia, Trimas on watch.”

  “Billy no mates. Thanks,” Trimas said.

  “Someone’s got to do it. You want to be first into the caves instead?”

  “Can’t take that sort of thing away from you. You enjoy if far more than I do.”

  “It’s a plan then. We move.”

  Alia and Zedek both readied their bows. Zedek examined his string carefully, frowned and pulled another from a pouch on his belt.

  “Something wrong with it?” Alia said, curious.

  “Hint of a fray,” Zedek said.

  “Looks okay to me,” Alia said.

  “It’s all about knowing what to look for. Here,” Zedek said, pointing at a tiny thread.

  “That really affects the performance?”

  “Enough that I’d notice it, yes.”

  “Oh. Mine okay?” Alia said, looking at hers curiously. “I can’t see anything but it seems I’m not quite the expert I thought I was.”

  “You’re fine,” Zedek laughed. “I’m just really picky.”

  “When you two are done…?” Trimas said, having checked the horses were tied securely.

  “Zedek and I’ll lead,” Daeholf said, “Alia and Jonas behind and to the left, Trimas bring up the rear.”

  “I’m not rising to that one,” Trimas said.

  “Am I missing something?” Alia said.

  “Probably,” Zedek said, “but you’re not the only one.”

  Daeholf motioned and they quieted and set off. As they got closer they paid more attention to the terrain, hugging trees and ducking behind undulations.

  “I feel ridiculous,” Trimas said, jogging at one point with his head ducked.

  “So do I,” Jonas said. “But shh.”

  They arrived near the cave entrances and there was no sign of activity.

  Daeholf held up his hand and they stopped in cover.

  “I don’t see any guards,” he whispered.

  “Not seen any sign that anyone has been nearby for a few days at least on the ground,” Jonas said.

  “Could be another abandoned one then?” Trimas said.

  “If indeed he was ever here at all,” Zedek pointed out.

  “We’re here now, we might as well look,” Alia said.

  “It’s not been completely abandoned for a long period of time,” Jonas said, squatting and looking around him at the earth. “There are some signs of movement a while ago, a few people at least.”

  “Enough that we should be cautious,” Daeholf said, softly drawing his sword. “Zedek with me,” he added, moving carefully towards the entrance. Zedek followed just behind, glancing around, arrow nocked.

  They made the entrance without trouble, standing at the hillside to one side of the hole in the earth. Daeholf nodded to Jonas and Alia who followed, Trimas staying put and keeping watch.

  Again, no trouble and Jonas and Alia assumed positions on the other side of the cave entrance. Daeholf nodded again to Trimas who made his way carefully to a vantage point on one side. Once he got there, Daeholf and Zedek ducked cautiously into the caves, followed a few seconds later by Jonas and Alia. A few moments passed and Alia emerged again and gave Trimas the pre-arranged thumbs up before disappearing back into the caves.

  The four of them scouted the caves for a few minutes but it was clear that there was no one there. Once again there was some evidence that they had been in use, possibly a couple of weeks before, judging by the dried blood.

  “Missed him,” Jonas said sourly.

  “Looks like it,” Daeholf said.

  “Might be some more papers, give us another lead,” Alia said hopefully, searching through some debris.

  “I don’t think he’ll have made the same mistake twice,” Jonas said.

  “Might as well look anyway,” Zedek said, putting his bow down carefully.

  *****

  Two horses and their riders came racing down the road, one a stately warhorse with a rider of greater age and size, one a younger and nimbler creature whether you were talking about the rider or the mount. They had ridden out that morning, gone steadily at first, but soon the younger had wanted to not just show what he could do, but prove it, and so they had raced, before they turned and rode for home at equal speed.

  As they approached the camp, Garrow put a hand up to slow his son, and they returned to a trot. It wasn’t that the genera
l was worried his son would injure himself again, because obviously that was a concern, or any concern over the roads, which the military kept in good condition. No, it was the fact Garrow was crying, and he didn’t want his men to see.

  Crying because, in their talks, their walks and this ride, his son was fixed, healthy, able to do everything asked of him. But more than fixed: Garrow had never seen his son well, had only watched him grow a damaged thing, had always expected the news of his death. But here he was, a person who barely seemed the same boy, and to Garrow’s slight shame he found it was like being given a child for the first time. His only son, his heir, was bright, active and growing in confidence. That, surely, was worth tears.

  Having slowed, Miche looked at his father. “We can keep riding, I’m fine.”

  “No, it’s not…”

  “Oh, father…” And the son, who had never seen the older man cry, just seen that looked of worry and resignation, realised his father was smiling and truly happy.

  They rode together, in silence, and Garrow wiped tears away from his face, until he’d composed himself and the gates of the camp stood in front of them. But before the gates there was a figure, also sat on a horse, watching and waiting. Soon they were alongside.

  “Marlen,” Garrow said, back in control, “it is as you promised. Miche is fully recovered.”

  “Indeed. Keep his diet under control, make sure he exercises mind and body, and he will not slide back.”

  “I cannot thank you enough Marlen, I cannot. What can I pay you? What do you charge? I do not recall you giving me a price.”

  No, because he had not given him a price. Now there was another stage for Marlen to negotiate to make this successful.

  “I do not want money, even though you have often offered me sums. But one day, I may need your assistance. The life of a healer is fraught with difficulties, and I like to believe that, if I had to call on you for assistance, you would come and aid me.”

  “Oh we will Marlen,” and Garrow sat upright, slipping into his full military mode. “If you ever need me I will bring a legion to defend you!” He smiled, and clasped Marlen’s shoulder. An exaggeration, a statement of grandiosity, but also pretty much the reaction Marlen was aiming to induce. This had been a most successful healing.